Tim Howard's Everton couldn't get a result against second-place Chelsea and DC United lost to Columbus on MLS Primetime Thursday.
English Premier League
Everton 0 - Chelsea 1
In the lone game on the EPL schedule, Everton's Tim Howard got caught by a Chelsea passing move in the 41st minute. That goal was the difference, with Everton still safe in 5th, but yet again unable to make a case for the top four. Everton manager David Moyes said: "I'm disappointed that we didn’t take anything, but we didn’t play well enough to take anything out of the game."
Everton are now five points back of Liverpool in 4th, the only team they can still catch. Meanwhile, Everton are four ahead of sixth-place Portsmouth, who can close that to one with a win when they go even on games played against Manchester City on Sunday.
Major League Soccer
DC United 1 - Columbus 2
With all the goals coming in the first half, it was Columbus that looked stronger in the attack, coming close before Alejandro Moreno opened the scoring in the 32nd minute. Bryan Namoff equalized in the 42nd, with DC gifting the Crew the winner a minute later courtesy of a Gonzalo Peralta own-goal. "I wanted to clear the ball because it was on the line," Peralta said. "And I don't know if I touched it inside or out. I don't know, I think I got it on the line. I wanted to clear it but I didn't make it."
"This is a very difficult place to win, said Columbus coach Sigi Schmid. "I thought D.C. was very good offensively. As much as I would have liked us to attack more, you could feel the rhythm of the game. We just had to defend and take care of business that way. Getting a win here was obviously very important."
The result puts Columbus top of the League with nine points from four games. DC is 6th in the Eastern Conference on goal differential.
